Harlequins lift the LV= Anglo-Welsh Cup silverware last season © Getty Images

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Tournaments/Tours: Anglo-Welsh Cup

Harlequins will begin their defence of the LV= Anglo-Welsh Cup crown against Premiership rivals Exeter Chiefs when the competition returns in November.

Quins, who secured last season's title with a 32-14 victory over Sale back in March, then face back-to-back home games against last year's beaten finalists Sale Sharks and 2012 champions Leicester Tigers.

Last season's losing semi-finalists Saracens and Bath will begin against London Wasps and Sale respectively. Elsewhere on the opening weekend, Scarlets will go head-to-head with fellow Welsh region Newport Gwent Dragons, with both teams finishing third in their respective pools last season.

The format will see the teams in Pool 1 play teams in Pool 4 and teams in Pool 2 play teams in Pool 3. Each team plays four pool matches - two home and two away - with the top team from each pool qualifying for the semi-finals.

2013-14 LV= Anglo-Welsh Cup:

Pool 1:
Saracens
Gloucester Rugby
London Irish
Newport Gwent Dragons

Pool 2:
Leicester Tigers
Exeter Chiefs
Sale Sharks
Cardiff Blues

Pool 3:
Harlequins
Bath Rugby
Worcester Warriors
Ospreys

Pool 4:
Northampton Saints
London Wasps
Newcastle Falcons
Scarlets

Fixtures:

Round 1 - November 8/9/10
London Wasps v Saracens
Northampton Saints v Gloucester Rugby
Newcastle Falcons v London Irish
Scarlets v Newport Gwent Dragons
Exeter Chiefs v Harlequins
Leicester Tigers v Ospreys (Friday November 8, KO 19:45, Live on Sky Sports)
Sale Sharks v Bath Rugby
Cardiff Blues v Worcester Warriors

Round 2 - November 15/16/17
London Irish v Northampton Saints
Newport Gwent Dragons v London Wasps
Saracens v Scarlets
Gloucester Rugby v Newcastle Falcons
Bath Rugby v Exeter Chiefs (Sunday November 17, KO 15:00 Sky Sports)
Worcester Warriors v Leicester Tigers
Harlequins v Sale Sharks
Ospreys v Cardiff

Round 3 - January 24/25/26
Scarlets v Gloucester Rugby
London Wasps v London Irish
Saracens v Newcastle Falcons
Newport Gwent Dragons v Northampton Saints
Bath Rugby v Cardiff Blues
Exeter Chiefs v Ospreys
Harlequins v Leicester Tigers
Sale Sharks v Worcester Warriors

Round 4 - January 31/February 1-2
Gloucester Rugby v London Wasps
London Irish v Scarlets
Newcastle Falcons v Newport Gwent Dragons
Northampton Saints v Saracens
Leicester Tigers v Bath Rugby
Worcester Warriors v Exeter Chiefs
Cardiff Blues v Harlequins
Ospreys v Sale Sharks

Semi-finals - March 7/8/9

The pool winner with the best playing record will be at home against the pool winner with the fourth best playing record in Semi-final 1. The Pool Winner with the second best playing record will be at home against the pool winner with the third best playing record in Semi-final 2.

LV= Anglo=Welsh Cup Final - March 16